


Emerald

by fangirls5ever



Series: Colors [1]
Category: Violet Evergarden - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Flowers, Fluff, Rain, flower symbolism sort of, flowershop au, green - Freeform, may go longer, more of color symbolism than anything else, part 1 of a series, shy leon is shy, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-04-22 22:36:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14318541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirls5ever/pseuds/fangirls5ever
Summary: Green is life, abundant growth, and constant rejuvenation of the spirit. It signifies cheerfulness and new beginnings.---Flower shop au part 1





	Emerald

The first time she enters the flower shop, it's early spring, rain drizzling down from gray clouds as bursts of yellow-white lighting crackle between them. A damp white-and-red awning hangs over the shop entrance, water dripping from its edges and pooling around a shell-pink hydrangea by the entrance as she ducks under the covering and blinks, blue eyes taking in the sudden storm.

Bad weather isn't unexpected early season, but on the walk back from the academy it is—inconvenient. Testing will begin again soon, and the girl can't afford any illness or poor grades, not with a scholarship on the line and her mentor's expectations to meet. So instead of continuing the walk home on foot, the girl wrings out her braid with one hand, water dripping from the platinum blonde hair as she pulls the shop door open with the other, being met with a soft chime as it slips closed behind her.

The shop is evidently floral, given the rough wooden shelves crowded with succulents and cacti, buckets of flowers, and elegant vases the color of sea glass. A row of fluorescent lights on the ceiling flicker as lightning crackles outside, the windows above her letting in beams of thin, watery light as she approaches the employee at the register.

With blue-black hair, long lashes, and soft features, the boy seems right at home among the flowers and greenery, gentle impression ruined only by the small frown he gives her as she approaches, shoes squeaking against the checkered tile floor. A book with gold-embossed stars on the cover rests on the counter beside him, silk bookmark peeking out between its pages.

"Welcome to Nova's Nursery," he says, the phrase slipping off his tongue with an ease that suggests hours of practice. "How can I help you?"

The girl comes to a halt before the register, meeting the boy with a level gaze as her arms snap to her side. Dressed in army green, her movements are reminiscent of a soldier. "Gift," she says simply, as though this explains everything, and folds her hands behind her back, looking patiently at the boy as she waits for him to fulfill her request.

The boy stares.

The girl stares back.

A long moment passes, broken only by a rumble of thunder.

"A gift," the boy says slowly, sounding out the word as though it were foreign. He shakes his head lightly, frown deepening. "What sort of gift?"

"Something nice," the girl says simply. "Pretty."

The boy's confused expression flattens as he waves a hand around the shop, saying, "You're in a flower store."

"Yes."

" _Everything _here is pretty."__

__

__The girl considers his statement for a second, brow furrowing and lips pressing into a thin line. Then, slowly, she gives a decisive nod. "It is," she agrees._ _

__

__The boy contemplates ramming his head against the peach-colored walls._ _

__

__"Would roses be good?" he asks finally, crossing his arms and leaning on the counter. "We have red, white, pink, black, yellow."_ _

__

__The girl frowns, head cocking to the side even as she maintains her rigid stance. "Roses?" she echoes._ _

__

__"Y'know... thorns on the stem? Petals folding out from the center? Just about everywhere on Valentine's Day?"_ _

__

__Her brow furrows as she mulls over his words, mouthing the last to herself before saying, "I would like to buy roses."_ _

__

__The boy nods, looking unsurprised, but grateful to have the customer that much closer to sold. "What color?"_ _

__

__"Green," the girl says. "Like his eyes."_ _

__

__The boy quickly muffles his snort into a cough with one hand, turning to the side and saying, "How many?"_ _

__

__"Just one," she answers, watching him with empty eyes, doll-like expression unnerving as the boy slips out from behind the register and walks over to a bucket of long-stemmed roses._ _

__

__The flowers are a deep emerald green, velvet petals curled about the center and slowly folding outward. "This good?" he asks, gesturing to them with one hand. "We have some lighter ones if the color would be better."_ _

__

__The girl only shakes her head, military posture finally broken as she steps forward and crouches down to admire the flowers, glass eyes at last gaining a hint of emotion._ _

__

__"They're perfect," she says._ _

__

__The boy gives a half-hearted roll of his eyes, but obediently takes one rose from the bucket, walking back to the register and pulling out a sheet of waxy paper. "Your total comes to one dollar."_ _

__

__The girl takes the change from the wallet in her backpack, handing it over as the boy sets it in the register and passes over the rose._ _

__

__He arches a brow at the way that she cradles it in her hands cautiously, as though it were made of glass. "It doesn't break that easily," he says. "You don't have to be so gentle with it."_ _

__

__The girl looks up from the flower with the slightest suggestion of a frown tugging at her lips, blue eyes strangely determined. "It's for Gilbert. It has to be perfect."_ _

__

__The boy waves one hand dismissively, muttering, "Sure, sure," as she turns sharply on her heel, marching to the door with military precision and tugging it open. "Have a good day," he calls, and the girl turns to look over her shoulder and give him a nod in return. When the door swings shut behind her, the boy sighs, leaning down to rest his head on the counter._ _

__

__"Hope she doesn't come back," he mutters into the glass, eyes shutting as he waits for the clock to signal closing time._ _

__

__The next day works according to his wish, all bright, summery skies, and determined customers with clear requests, and the boy forgets about the girl and her eerily empty gaze, her inhuman tone and motions._ _

__

__But the day after brings a downpour, gray clouds filling the sky and high winds making the rain rattle against the window panes. And with the weather comes a familiar figure with blue eyes, soft blonde hair, and a vacant expression._ _

__

__"What are you interested in?" he asks, and the girl casts her gaze slowly about the room, lingering on a bucket of green carnations. The boy stifles a sigh as she moves towards it, running a thumb over the ruffled petals. "For the same person? To match their eyes?"_ _

__

__The girl nods, turning again to face him. "Yes," she says._ _

__

__"Pick one, and I'll ring it up."_ _

__

__The girl chooses a smaller carnation, and moves to stand by the register as he takes the dollar she offers, wrapping the flower in white paper. When he hands it over with a short, "Have a good day," she says simply, "Violet."_ _

__

__The boy pauses, hands falling to rest on the counter as he gives her a blank stare. "You want violets?"_ _

__

__The girl shakes her head, gazing at him steadily. "My name—Violet."_ _

__

__"Ah... I see." Clearing his throat, he taps the name tag on the front of his apron, studiously looking at the counter as he mutters, "Leon."_ _

__

__Violet tips her head to the side, considering the boy with a thoughtful look. "A nice name," she decides. "Thank you, Leon. I hope to see you again soon."_ _

__

__"Sure," he says, ducking his head so blue hair falls over his eyes. "Have a good day, and be careful about the rain—the store on the corner sells umbrellas, if you want one."_ _

__

__The girl nods, a hand snapping up in a salute, and shoes clicking together with a sharp snap that makes Leon jump. "Until next time."_ _

__

__Leon nods, eyes wide. "R-right."_ _

__

__The bell on the door chimes as she leaves, a flicker of lightning painting the flower shop in a brilliant white-gold._ _

__

__"Weird," he mutters as he watches her disappear down the street through rain-fogged glass, stifling a yawn as he turns back to the book on the counter._ _

__

__Leon doesn't expect her to come soon—no one has that frequent a need for flowers, truly—but the next day, when he sets up the display outside, he makes sure to set a small pot of violets at the very top, insisting to himself that it's only because it suits the display so well._ _

__

__Definitely not because he wants to see her smile._ _

__

__(She does when she sees the flowers, the expression a small, almost unnoticeable thing. But Leon notices, and it's enough to have him slash the price from his check, and hand the violets over to her with a quiet, "To match your name," when she buys another green rose.)_ _

__

__(He doesn't expect her to smile again.)_ _

__

__(But when she does, it's absolutely radiant.)_ _

__

__\---_ _

__

**Author's Note:**

> This story ended up being very dramatic, but I'm pretty happy with how it's starting :D I have absolutely zero knowledge of flowers, so if there's any hidden meanings in the ones she buys, I'd really love to hear about them! ^^ I'm hoping to make this a series based on colors and make it a slow-ish burn, but I might just leave it as is if I'm still busy with my other fics. Either way, thank you so much for reading! Comments and feedback would be very appreciated—I comment back on each one
> 
> Thank you! ^^
> 
> Tumblr: @depths-of-the-sea


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